Happy Halloween!

Saturday night we went to the Fall Festival at Ashlyn and Haley's school. Unlike some people, I did not volunteer to run any of the various booths, as I am a crappy school supporter. We weren't even going to go, because Saturday morning we did the Army-dillo 10K and then in the early afternoon the girls had a skating birthday party. By late afternoon I was completely beat down and all I wanted to do was sit in the recliner and watch some old tivoed episodes of Dog the Bounty Hunter.
Ashlyn and Haley wanted to go to the Fall Festival solely for the Haunted House. That is the only reason they wanted to go. "Please," they whined all afternoon, "we want to go to a Haunted House!" So Scott was going to take them over there right quick and then they whined because they wanted everyone to go. We ended up getting in the car and taking them and their excitement was practically palpable.
We got to the Festival and got in line for the Haunted House, which was by far attracting the most attention (if you don't count the Cake Walk, where I saw two mothers fighting over line position-I'm telling you, it was dog eat dog over at the Cake Walk), while Scott bought $10 worth of Festival tickets.
And I wish I could put what happened next into words. I really really do. I wish there was somehow a video of it actually, because words could never, ever do it justice. The Haunted House was being run by some of Scott's soldier's, otherwise known as The Army Finest. (right) Well, they did an excellent job. The kids were scared out of their minds. And we took in three more with us, two girls from Ashlyn's class and one boy from Haley's class. We got in the door before it started and Ashlyn hyperventilated. I'm not lying. I had to put my hand over her mouth. She dug in for all she was worth and lost her mind. So Haley started crying. So Owen started backing up. So Scott got mad. Surprise.
The leader person took us through, and it was all full of strobe lights and loud screams and scary music and sounds. The little girl in the front had her head down the entire time, covering her eyes. The boy from Haley's class seemed to do okay, but I think he was in some kind of shock. I was next holding Skylar and dragging Ashlyn. And I mean dragging her. She was completely out of her freakin mind with terror. She was letting out short screams about every second that would have shattered glass had there been any around. Scott was shoving her from the back. The other girl was plastered to my back with her head buried in my shirt squeezing the life out of me. Scott was carrying Haley, who didn't look the entire time, and also Owen, who occasionally yelled out but spent the majority of the 3 minutes we were inside trying to climb up onto the top of Scott's head.
I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants. I really did. And I've had four kids so I guess it's some miracle I didn't. But you guys, it was the funniest thing I've ever done to my kids. They are without a doubt scarred for life.
And then there was the end. The end was the best part. They had the doorway all blocked off with a tunned going out the bottom middle and the kids had to crawl through the tunnel to get out. The kids were all so terrified they were fighting over who was going to get in the tunnel first and there was a mad rush for the tunnel and lots of pushing and shoving and right then some soldier dressed up like a monster came sliding in through the tunnel from the outside screaming some hideous, hideous monster scream and he popped up to his feet and acted like he was going to grab them and right then all 7 kids we had with us shit their pants. And it was priceless. And more than anything I never ever ever want to forget it.
But, as you can see, they recovered as soon as we assured them they wouldn't have to go back in (although I was ALL FOR IT) and then I swear they stood there and talked about how it "wasn't that bad." There was a photo booth set up and I didn't have my camera but for four festival tickets they would take one and print it out for you. Here's ours.
Last night we did the Trunk or Treat thing up at the company. We did Scooby Doo this year, and everyone wore their costumes the entire night. Owen also won Best Costume in the '3 and under' division, though I would have totally given it to the baby with the long sleeved white sleeper on whose mother had taken black electrical tape and taped rings around him and made him into a tiny baby inmate. Scooby Doo did not participate in the Best Costume competition as she was too busy shoving candy into her face in the back of the car.